Mercedes' Barcelona success not a guarantee for Canada GP: Andrew Shovlin

Expecting 'more of a challenge'

Mercedes' trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin, anticipates a "bigger challenge" at the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, despite the team's significant progress at Barcelona last week.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell achieved a double podium, evidencing the effective implementation of Mercedes' comprehensive upgrade package.

However, Shovlin warns that the Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, known for its low-downforce nature, will present a different set of hurdles for the Silver Arrows.

"The update kit works very well around circuits like Barcelona with a lot of high-speed performance," Shovlin acknowledged.

Yet, he also highlighted the stark differences in Montreal's circuit characteristics, expressing his anticipation of a sterner test.

Potential fall back

The updated 2023 car's performance in Barcelona placed Mercedes second to Red Bull in the constructors' standings, climbing over Aston Martin.

But Shovlin foresees a potential fall back into the fierce competition with Aston Martin, Ferrari, and the recently bolstered Alpine, following Esteban Ocon's podium finish in Monaco.

"We are thinking it will be more along the lines of some of the earlier races where we were definitely in the bunch with Ferrari, with Aston, and now Alpine look to have joined that group," he stated, underlining the narrow margins defining the competitive order.

'Fighting to find every little bit of performance'

With the varying grid positions and tight competition, Shovlin emphasizes Mercedes' relentless pursuit of performance enhancements, stating, "The way the grid stacks up now you can be P2 or you can be P10, and there are only a few tenths in it."

Despite the anticipated challenge, Shovlin remains optimistic about the race in Canada and assures fans of Mercedes' commitment to give their best performance yet.